Bid to axe council prayer divides community

A ROW over whether a prayer should be recited at the start of council meetings has energised the normally quiet, leafy eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

A former premier’s son, priests and anti-religion activists are among almost 200 people who lodged submissions with the City of Boroondara over the issue.

A bid by Councillor Victor

Franco to dump the prayer was rejected by a council meeting last month, with one councillor saying the municipality was “a largely Christian community”.

In part, the prayer seeks blessings from “Almighty God” but does not reference any particular religion.

About 60 per cent of submissions received by council on the issue argued the prayer should have no official place at Town Hall, while many supported keeping the Indigenous acknowledgement of country statement which is also made at meetings.

Rob Baillieu, son of former Liberal premier Ted Baillieu and a failed council candidate, told Boroondara that the prayer was uncomfortable for non-religious residents, as well as being divisive, disrespectful and probably illegal.

The Rationalist Society of Australia said while supporting freedom to practise one’s faith, having the prayer violated the separation between “institutions of religion and institutions of state”.

More than 70 submissions supported the prayer’s retention, including from Greek Orthodox priest Father Nicholas Georgiou who said the prayer promoted peace and good will.

At the 2016 census, Boroondara had 37 per cent of residents reporting no religion.